


The Way to a Galra's Heart

by cnsgn2oblvn



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2018-03-06
Packaged: 2018-12-21 02:16:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11934225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cnsgn2oblvn/pseuds/cnsgn2oblvn
Summary: From the beginning, Prince Lotor's moments have baffled the paladins--stealing from Galra outposts, toying with them when he easily could have destroyed them, keeping one step ahead of them at every turn. So when Allura gets the chance to learn more about Lotor's plans, she takes it.





	1. In and Out in Five Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys! I'm pretty new to the Voltron fandom, but am pretty excited to get this fic off the ground (please be nice!) I would love a Beta, if anyone out there is willing to slog through my stories before they go up. This fic picks up where Season 3 ends (because I NEED MORE GUYS), so if you have not yet seen it, (UM, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? GO WATCH!!!) fair warning that this will have spoilers in it. 
> 
> I also want to throw out that I was really inspired by an old song that came up while I was writing this. It's called "It's about Time" by Lillix (don't judge...okay? Middle-school Kelsie loved the crap out of Lillix). The lyrics set exactly the right tone for the first few chapters of Allura and Lotor getting to know each other:  
> "I hate you, I love you  
> I just can't remember to forget you  
> Who are you, who needs you?  
> You make me feel alive, I die, so high  
> I'm crawling on the ground   
> I have found I can fly"
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine and I am not making money off of this fan fic.  
> Also, thank you to Katie who constantly inspires me and has helped me through some of the plot of this fic <3 I wouldn't be half the writer I am without you.

Allura stared out the deck of the ship into the vast blackness of space. Sometimes it felt so lonely, with Coran as her only link to her people. And that witch… She frowned, haunted by the image of the woman’s face, a sneer cracking across it in nearly a feral way. She straightened her back as she heard the footsteps of someone entering the bridge.

“Are you alright?” Shiro asked, coming to stand beside her. 

She gave him a small smile, “Of course.”

He nodded, his dark eyes assessing hers. But finally he turned to look at the blackness before them and she released her breath, relieved. Shiro had a quiet way of listening to others, even if they were not speaking. It’s what made him such a good leader, but it made her feel off balance. He placed his hand against the back of his station, his Galra tech arm dinging slightly against the metal as he leaned into it. She let her eyes stay on it for a moment, then forced them away. What must it be like to have a piece of Galra technology so much a part of your life? She shivered. She would prefer to lose the use of the arm all together than to be forced to have such tech installed. Her eyes flicked to Shiro’s profile, taking in his steely eyes and strong jaw, and she wondered what he would choose, if he had been given a choice.

“Everyone is a little...concerned about Lotor,” he said at last. 

Allura frowned. Of course they were. Learning the truth about Zarkon had rattled them. She was embarrassed to admit, she hadn’t known as much as Coran had told them. She had been too angry to look that close at Zaron’s history with her father. But she had seen a future where her people’s anger had turned them into monsters. Worse than monsters. She wouldn’t allow herself to become that person. “Yes,” she allowed, “His tactics are very different than those of his father.”

Shiro nodded, “I always knew what to expect from a battle with Zarkon, and I knew how to respond.” He smiled slightly, “But I guess I don’t really have to worry about that any more.” The smile disappeared.

Allura stepped away from the controls and took his hand, the human one. “Even though you are not the pilot of the Black Lion, you still are needed here Shiro.”

He nodded, “Keith is doing well as the pilot of the Black Lion. Any time I interede, I worry that I’m keeping him from being the leader he could be.”

“He’s learning, as are you,” she said, squeezing his hand lightly before letting go. “We’re all adapting to our new roles.”

Shiro smiled, and this time it reached his eyes, “Some of us faster than others.”

She blushed, uncomfortable with the praise. It burned in the bit of her stomach and she couldn’t understand why. Hulk had told her nearly the same thing the other day. Shiro was staring down at her in the most peculiar way, and all of a sudden her back felt too straight, her clothes too restricting.

“I…” Shiro said, and looked away, heat coming to his face, “I know I’m no longer a pilot, but I would like to remain here. To be useful in whichever way I can be, if the team will let me.”

“Of course you’ll stay here,” she said, “This is your home now.”

“Princess!” Coran called as he came onto the bridge, “You are late for training.” 

She glanced back at Shiro, “We should join them.” 

“You go,” he said, straightening, “I’ll keep Coran company.” She paused a tick, then nodded before heading from the room to the training area. 

~~~~~

Allura wiped the sweat from her brow, both pleased and irritated with how the training had gone. They each had strengths and weaknesses. Sometimes the team only focused on their strengths, rather than their weaknesses. Just because they had managed to defeat Zarkon did not make them expert paladins, though with the way Keith and Lance had been acting recently, one would have thought the war was over. Lance in particular had become more withdrawn, and often disappeared with Keith. Of course, some of the blame sat with her. She had been doing a terrible job of convincing their allies to remain loyal--all they cared about was Voltron. Some of their allies had told her they were hearing reports that Lotor wasn’t a dictator, as his father, but rather wanted to unite the people, just as she did. She scoffed. Absolutely ridiculous.

She slipped into the pool and let her head relax against the side as she closed her eyes.

“How did you...get up there?” 

Her eyes flew open and she stared upwards at Shiro. He had a towel slung over his shoulder, and he stared up at her, confusion clouding his features. “There’s a lift in the wall,” she said, nodding toward an alcove in the far wall. She watched as he stepped onto the platform and tried to remain stationary as the lift rose. When the gravity changed, halfway up, he was suddenly jerked to the other side of the platform and landed in an ungraceful tumble of limbs. She covered her smile with a hand, as he picked himself up and walked over to her. He finally eased himself into the water, relaxing his back against the deck. 

“The water is warm,” Shiro said, kicking his legs out in slow, lazy circles.

“Not as warm as I usually like it,” she commented, adjusting the pile of her hair on top of her head. She didn’t want it to get wet; it would take forever to dry. She rolled her shoulders back in slow circles; they were tight from training. 

“Hey! How do we get up there?” Lance called up. Shiro looked up at them, grimacing slightly, before looking down at his knees. 

"That is so disorienting," he mumbled, rubbing his right temple with his fingers. Allura smiled. She and the humans had many things in common, but sometimes the gap in culture was rather funny. Lance had told her the other day that on Earth their pools were built into the ground. Altean pools incorporated the pull of gravity from two directions, which helped with relaxation. The Altean way seemed infinitely more enjoyable and practical than just a hole filled with water.

"There's a lift," she called, pointing. Pidge, Hunk, and Lance all crammed into the lift, Keith following behind at a much slower pace. 

Halfway up they tumbled to the other side of the lift as the gravity changed. “Woah,” Hunk said, grabbing onto Pidge as she lost her footing. 

She flashed him a shy smile as she adjusted her glasses, “Thanks.”

The three tumbled into the pool, throwing their towels aside. Allura leaned back and watched as Pidge and Lance immediately started squirting water at each other. In moments they were drenched, and Lance launched himself at Hunk attempting without much success to pull him under. Keith climbed into the water, his arms cross over his chest as he took a seat next to Shiro. Giving up on Hunk, Lance grabbed ahold of Keith's leg and dragged him from his underwater bench, the water closing over his head. Keith came up, sputtering, his face red, but moments later he joined into the water fight. Allura smiled as even Shiro was dragged into the fight. It was...almost like she was home again. They were a family, even if not related by blood. And it made her feel a little less alone.

~~~~~

Allura played with her food, moving the colorful concoction from side to side on her plate. “I’ve been tracking Lotor’s movements,” Pidge said, and Allura’s head shot up. The rest of the team were all staring at Pidge with open mouths. 

“How?” Shiro asked, leaning forward.

“Well, it really isn’t Lotor himself…” she said, pushing her glasses up her nose. Her statement was greeted by silence, so she sighed and went on, “I’ve noticed, by analysing the places and times where we know Lotor has been, that there is a sort of white space left by his crew. They erase all presence of their being there. Video footage, witnesses, audio clips, transmissions, there are spaces within the Galra databases that are just...blank. And that’s how I know where he has been.” 

“So how can we find him?” Keith asked.

Pidge shook her head, “I can’t tell where he’s going to be, just where he’s been.”

Allura nodded, “But by figuring out where he’s been, we might be able to get a clearer picture of what he is trying to do.”

Pidge nodded enthusiastically, “Exactly. A few hours ago, the transmissions from a Galra base pretty close to here went out. I think Lotor’s team went to the base. They were in and out in under five minutes.”

“You want to go there,” Shiro guessed, leaning back in his chair and setting down his spork.

Pidge nodded, “Five minutes is quick. They knew exactly what they were looking for. It shouldn’t be too hard to rummage through their servers and find out what they were after.”

All eyes turned to Keith, watching as he assessed the situation. Finally he nodded, "We've been acting mostly on instinct. I don't think that is going to be enough to beat Lotor. Let's do it." He turned to Pidge, "How long will it take us to get there?" 

She passed the coordinates over to Coran, "By my calculations it shouldn't take more than a varga."

Coran eyed the coordinates and the area surrounding the base, "Looks relatively easy." He pointed at the ship's trajectory, "If we approach this way, the planet will shield our arrival...somewhat."

Keith nodded, "All right everyone. As soon as you are done, suit up. Then we'll meet in the Control Room ."


	2. Stick to the Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two! Allura and the other paladins break into a Galra base, but something happens that disrupts their plans... I hope you guys enjoy this one and I'll get cracking on starting on Chapter 3 :)

Allura stared at her hands, clenched tightly together against her thighs. Something had been nagging at her for a while, she just didn’t know what “it” was. It was a slight tickle at the base of her neck, something off, but just out of reach. And it was bugging her that she couldn't figure out what it was.

There was a slight knock at her door, and she raised her eyes as Shiro slid open the door. “We’re a few decaphebes from the Galra base.” She nodded, picking up her helmet and following behind him silently as he walked through the halls toward the bridge. Before they entered the room, he placed a hand on her arm, pulling her to a stop. He stood silently for a moment, avoiding her eyes, before finally meeting them and murmuring, “Stay safe, Princess.”

She smiled, placing her smaller hand atop his and giving it a light squeeze, “I will.” Then he stepped back, not waiting for her before moving through the doorway. She followed quickly after, tugging on her helmet. Coran was at the helm, Shiro at his side. She nodded to both of them before flinging herself through the doorway and onto the zip line that ran to the Blue Lion. “All right Blue,” she said, getting situated in her seat and placing her hands on the controls. Then they were out, moving away from the Castle in formation. “Let’s do this quickly,” Keith said, “Hunk, Lance, and I will keep them busy. Allura and Pidge, get the information and get out.” The Lions slowed as the Galra base came into view.

“There’s our entry point,” Allura said, nodding toward a small entrance with a landing spot big enough for both of their Lions.

“Lance, cover them until they get inside,” came Keith’s order, “Hunk and I will keep the fighters off your back.”

“Got it!” Lance replied, his enthusiastic voice coming into Allura’s helmet as though he were right beside her.

Allura set Blue down and hopped out of the seat, grabbing her weapon as Galra soldiers started filing out of the door and lining up their shots. Lance kept them busy as Allura and Pidge made their way closer. Soon the ground was littered with the bodies of the soldiers and Pidge was able to get started on opening the door. Moments later they were through.

“Which way Pidge?” she asked.

Pidge pushed her glasses higher up on her nose and nodded to the right, “That way.”

Allura repositioned her weapon and nodded, “Let’s be quick about it then.” The two jogged down the hallway before coming to a split.

“Left,” Pidge murmured, peeking around the corner first before she headed down the corridor. “There seem to be a lack of guards in this area.”

Allura nodded. She had noticed the same thing. The white walls of the hallways were blank, no windows adornments, or markers. Whatever this section of the base was for, they certainly were not advertising it. But they also were not concerned about keeping it well-guarded. That same feeling of something being not right tugged at her again. “It’s here,” Pidge said, nodding at a door in front of them. “Ready?”

Allura nodded, hefting her weapon as Pidge opened the door. She flew through the doorway, taking out the two guards before they had a chance to raise the alarm. Pidge slipped in and shut the door behind them. Allura took her station, staring at the door in case someone were to interrupt them. Pidge plugged her device in and went to work, her fingers flying over the keyboard as she delved deep into their system. “There’s not much here,” she said, disappointed. “Just like the last two.” Allura gritted her teeth in annoyance.

“Wait,” she whispered, pressing her nose closer to the screen.

Allura turned, “You found something?”

“Maybe.” Pidge typed furiously, then stopped, her eyes scanning the screen, reading through a block of text. “Yes,” she breathed, clicking twice.

“What is it?” Allura asked, the almost-hope jumping through her veins like adrenaline.

“There is nothing on the server about Lotor or his missions, but I am able to pull up what he was up to last time he was here.”

“Hey!” Lance called over their headsets, “We’ve got company!”

Pidge ignored him, going deeper into the records.

Hunk’s voice came over, “Guys...guys…”

“What’s happening?” Allura asked, turning from Pidge back to the door.

“It’s Lotor, he’s back,” Keith said, “We need you back in the Lions now. We’re taking some heavy fire.”

Allura swore in Altean, keeping the foul words in her mind rather than through the headset. “Pidge, we’ve got to go.”

“Just a minute, I’m almost there.” She made a few more clicks, then gasped.

Allura whirled around and nearly had to catch herself. It was Shiro. He was in a tank of sorts, fully submerged. It was almost like one of the Altean pods they had placed Sendak in. “They kept Shiro here?” Allura whispered. “Can you see what they did to him?”

“Princess…” Pidge whispered, swallowing slowly before continuing, “This is a live feed.”

“What?” Allura asked. Her stomach plummeted. “Coran, Shiro, can you hear me?”

“Reading you loud and clear, Princess!” she hear Coran call.

“Bring the Castle, the others need your help. We have to buy some time.”

Pidge was staring at her like she’d lost her mind. “Guys we found…” Allura slammed her palm against Pidge’s mouth and shook her head.

“We found some really great information here, but it’s taking Pidge a while to weed through the security barriers,” Allura finished for her.

“Well do it quickly!” Keith grunted.

Allura let go of Pidge’s mouth and cut off the connection. “What are you doing Princess?” Allura glanced at the screen, at Shiro floating in the liquid, before turning back to Pidge.

“Shiro is in the Castle, Pidge. So think about it. How can he be there and here?”

Pidge’s eyebrows rose, “You think the one on the ship is an imposter.”

Allura lowered her eyes, “I hate to think that. There’s no reason to suspect him. And yet…” She raised her eyes again, “Something has felt off ever since he returned.”

Pidge nodded, “I did notice...you both had gotten a little closer than you had been in the past. But I didn’t want to say anything.” She adjusted her glasses, “You let me come out with my secret on my own terms.”

Allura blushed, “Can you find out what they did to him?”

Pidge nodded, turning back to the computer. After a few moments she paused, “I can’t. They have the files in a secure location. I’d have to access them from the computer where they were entered.”

Alura nodded, “Let’s go then.” Pidge nodded, disconnecting her equipment.

“I don’t know what you guys are doing, but get out of there!” Keith yelled over the headset. “One of Lotor’s ships was able to get past us. They made it to the base.”

“Don’t answer them,” Allura ordered and Pidge nodded. “Lead the way.” They hurried down the hallways until they reached a door with a security coded door. Allura took up a position, eyes swivelling left and right, surveying the hallway on both sides.  
“We’re in,” Pidge whispered, opening the door. Allura shut the door after her and moved toward the set up in the center of the room. He was being monitored by some device, his brain waves recorded on a computer, as well as several other things that she could not understand. What were they doing. “As soon as we disconnect him, they are going to converge on our spot,” Pidge said, assessing the equipment.

“Do you know the way out?” Pidge nodded and Allura threw the strap of the weapon across her shoulders so the gun rested in between her shoulder blades. “Do it.” Pidge disconnected the wires and llura threw open the device, throwing Shiro over her shoulder. He was wet, and the solution dripped down her front and back. “Let’s go.” Pidge nodded, opening the door for them.

They ran down the halls, back the way they had come.

“Allura, Pidge, come on!” Lance yelled over the mic.

“We’re coming,” Allura said, her voice hitching as she repositioned Shiro on her shoulder. He really was quite heavy.

“What?” came a groggy question, lifted from her shoulder.

“It’s okay. We’ve got you Shiro,” she said, adjusting his weight once more. He was silent again and she picked up her speed, rounding the last corner before coming to a stop. A group of Galra soldier awaited them, blocking their exit, Lotor at their head.  
“Princess Allura, if I’m not mistaken…” he said, smirking, his eyes going to the paladin on her shoulder.

“Shiro, can you walk?” Allura whispered, but he didn’t answer. Allura turned to Pidge, “As soon as there is an opening you run for it.” She leaned down, setting the unconscious paladin against the wall, his head slumped slightly to one side.

“What have you been doing to him?” she called to Lotor, wondering why he didn’t just attack when clearly the odds were in his favor.

“Not much. We’ve been gracious hosts, I assure you,” he said, smiling.

  

“And on my ship?” she asked, “Who have _we_ been playing host to?”

Lotor shrugged, “Something Haggar cooked up, a double of sorts, connected to the memories and thoughts of the real Shiro.”

“Why?” she demanded, trying to keep him talking as long as possible so she could figure out a way out of this. “He can’t pilot the Black Lion anyway, so why did you want him aboard?”

“Have you not figured that out?” Lotor asked, grinning even wider with the pleasure of beating her. He shrugged, then turned to his soldiers, “Take them alive.”

The soldiers advanced and Pidge opened fire, allowing Allura enough time to grab her weapon from her back. The last Galra soldier fell, leaving only Lotor to get by. Shiro’s head lifted as the last sound of fire stopped, and Allura stared at him as Lotor advanced slowly. How could she not have seen it. There were subtle differences. His hair, his eyes. “Princess,” he grunted, trying to stand.

“This is going to hurt,” she told him, throwing aside her weapon and lifting him to her shoulder again. “Now Pidge,” she said, rushing forward. Lotor kept his eyes on Allura, and Pidge slipped by him. Lotor threw out his arm, punching Allura in the stomach. She accepted the blow and focused on throwing Shiro as far as she could as she went backwards. She watched Pidge’s eyes widen as Shiro sailed through the air toward her. Lotor was calling for backup as soon as she hit the ground. “Go Pidge,” she whispered into her helmet. “Get him out of here. I’ll hold off Lotor as long as I can.”

She saw Pidge nod as she picked herself off the floor and heard her voice, “Don’t try to finish him Allura, get out of there as soon as possible.” Pidge opened the door and grabbed Shiro’s neckline, pulling him slowly toward the Green Lion. Allura nodded and turned back to Lotor, eyeing her weapon several feet behind him. If she could get to it, she would have some chance. She pitched herself forward, swooping to roll forward for her weapon. She felt relief flow through her as her fingers connected with the handle of the weapon. She cried out as her fingers flooded with pain, Lotor’s boot grinding them into the floor until she let go. She realized what a mistake she had made by giving up the higher ground. She was useless on the floor. Lotor calmly picked up her gun as a troop of soldiers rounded the corner. His attention was drawn back to them, and she took his momentary distraction to struggle to her feet.

“Allura!” she heard over her headset, “I’ve got Shiro in Green. Get out of there.” Alura darted away from Lotor, running toward the door, but a lance of heat swiped through her leg. She stumbled and went down, clutching the leg in disbelief as blood began to stain her suit.

“I’m not coming,” she managed to groan. “Go.”

“Allura!” Pidge screamed.

“What happened?” Keith asked.

“I’m coming back in for you,” Pidge said, and Allura could almost see her slamming her glasses against the bridge of her nose.

“No,” Allura said, with finality as Lotor looked her over once to make sure she wasn’t going to try to get up again. “Get him to safety.”

“Him? Who him?” came Lance’s voice.

“Guys, what is going on!?” Hunk asked, anxiety coloring his voice.

Allura tried to ignore Pidge’s pleas and the other’s questions, drowning them out. Finally she yanked off her helmet, tossing it away so she couldn’t hear them any more. They had Shiro now. They would be fine without her. Gun fire broke out again, and she turned toward the Galra just in time to watch the troop fall, her own weapon being the cause of their defeat. Then Lotor dropped the weapon and headed toward her, grabbing her helmet. She opened her mouth, confused, but he smashed the helmet into the side of her face, and she faded into the darkness of unconsciousness as her head hit the floor.


	3. A Pampered Prisoner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo it's taken me forever to sit down to write this. I apologize! Thank you to everyone who left kudos and comments. Really, I cannot express how much all of your comments helped inspire me. Each time I lost steam or lost my way, I'd take a look at your comments. THANK YOU. I'll try to make the gap between chapter 3 and 4 smaller than the one between 2 and 3 *blush*. I was really inspired by some fan art of Allura, so I took her dress design from that artwork. Unfortunately, I do not know the artist who created it. If you happen to know who made the art, will you please leave a comment? I'd like to give them credit! For now, here is a link to the gorgeous art that inspired Allura's dress in this scene: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/60/9d/bf/609dbfba815a1c9e2e8bca077becaf91--princesses-zelda.jpg 
> 
> Anyway--hope you all enjoy! Much craziness to come.

Allura opened her eyes, blinking slowly in the dim light. She sat up, rubbing her temples. Her head hurt. Badly. She threw back the sheets and set her feet on the floor. Her toes wriggled into soft carpet and she yanked her feet back onto the bed in alarm. Heart pounding, it all came rushing back to her. Pidge. Shiro. _Lotor_. She closed her eyes once more and settled her breathing. 

The light flipped on, illuminating the room, which was blessedly empty. Her eyes swept over the room, plain but comfortable. She was wearing a thin, strappy silk chemise that only went mid-thigh. Her armor and shoes were nowhere in sight, but she pushed herself off the bed and ran to the door, checking the door knob. When it didn’t give, she instead chose to throw herself against it, her shoulder slamming into it again and again. She grunted with the effort, at last giving up in favor of her shoulder.

“If you aren’t careful, you’ll be black and blue.”

Allura whirled around, open mouthed at the half-breed lounging in a chair in the corner. She _hadn’t_ been there a moment ago.

The half-breed general unfolded her legs gracefully and rose, towering above Allura, a spritely grin across her face. In response, Allura grew a few inches, subconsciously responding to the threat.

“Why am I here?” Allura growled, more than a little off put by the half-breed’s gleeful smirk.

Irritation flittered across the general’s colorful features, but was quickly replaced with a serene glow. “Prince Lotor requests your presence in the dining hall.” She turned to a wooden armoire and pulled open its doors to pull out a splendiferous dress. She giggled and twirled with the dress before laying it out on the bed. “He also requests that you wear this.”

Allura raised an eyebrow at the gown. It was gorgeous, to be sure. She crossed her arms over her chest, “And why should I? Prisoners don’t wear finery.”

The half-breed raised an eyebrow. “As a princess one would think you had been taught the art of polite conversation and tactful negotiation.” She tipped her head, “But maybe your father didn’t live long enough to teach you those customs.” Allura eyed the dagger the general had sheathed to her thigh. The half-breed shrugged, “You can go in your underwear if you wish.” Then she disappeared, her body disappearing in a wave of rainbowed light. Allura realized her teeth were clenched together and she forced her jaw to relax. 

She eyed the dress with apprehension. Despite the barb, she did know how to negotiate. She just hadn’t thought that Lotor would be interested in doing so. She ground her teeth together then stood, pulling open the back of the dress and raising it up. She slipped both feet into the dress and pulled it up. It was difficult to pull up the closure by herself, but after much grunting and arm twisting, she managed it. The dress was a work of art. The under layer was a crisp white, pleats against the bust flattering the pressed rise of her breasts. The outer layer was a myriad of colors, echoing the galaxy itself. Constellations were stitched onto the fine fabric in metallic silver thread with tiny crystals acting as the stars. Her hair was more tangled than she would have liked, so she ran her fingers through it in an effort to fix it. 

The door swung open, yet another general standing in the doorway. Her face was pinched in a perpetual scowl, her mouth pressed into a thin line. She nodded down the hallway, dark purple bangs shifting across her face with the movement. “Come on,” she said, her voice cracking out the command. Allura raised an eyebrow, noting the behavior of the woman. She obviously was someone who made an order and expected to be followed to the letter. Allura grabbed a pair of silk slippers from the armoire and shoved them on her feet before following the general out the door. As they walked down the hallway, Allura skimmed her surroundings. The hallway was made almost entirely of glass, showcasing a spectacular view of some planet she did not recognize. There were no guards that she could see, but the stiff shoulders of the woman next to her were enough encouragement not to try to make a run for it. 

The general stopped at a pair of double doors, throwing them open to reveal an ornate dining room. She caught a glimpse of a landing pad down the corridor to the right. It had a single ship docked—the ship Lotor had made from the comet. Before she could make a run for it, the general shoved Allura through the doorway into the dining area. Allura whirled around and glared at her as the doors closed once more. When she turned around again, a male was in front of her, bowing with careful grace.  
“Princess Allura,” he said straightening. “I’ve wanted to make your acquaintance again for a very long time.”

She frowned, “Again?”

He smiled, pulling out a chair for her, “We met as children, though you probably were too young to remember.”

She paused, eyes going to his light purple complexion and finely pointed ears. Prince Lotor. She had never seen him without his helmet before. He was less like his father than she assumed he would be. In fact, other than the purple skin, he didn’t look Galra at all. She had heard that he was a half-breed, like his generals, but staring at him, she was still surprised at how different he really was. She slowly sank into the chair he had pulled out for her, examining the table setting. It was impeccable, no finery wasted and everything in its place. Except for a curiously missing knife. She sighed, focusing instead on smoothing out her dress, slightly ruffled from sitting. 

Lotor whisked the dish covers off of several plates, revealing a variety of different foods from several different cultures, including one from her own planet. She eyed the colorful dish, her mouth watering, wondering what his motives were. Why take her only to keep her as a pampered prisoner. Why try to raise her spirits with luxurious clothes and familiar dishes? While she pondered this, Lotor scooped portions onto each of their plates and then sat down across from her.

“You look lovely,” he said, after wiping his face. “I don’t have any memory of our meeting either, but I do have a photo of you.” He pushed the photo across the table and Allura picked it up, examining the photograph, pressed and fresh even after all these years. “It was a betrothal present from your father,” Lotor said as she took a sip of the wine. 

Allura choked, nearly spraying the wine over the distance, but managing to cough it down. 

“A what?” she managed, dabbing at her face with a napkin.

“We were engaged,” he clarified, taking the picture back and slipping it between the pages of a book. He set the book aside and turned back to her. “We still are, I imagine. No one ever officially called it off.” He smirked, “Though, a war between our two nations probably was enough to not formally announce the revoking of the promise.”

Engaged. To Lotor. The word just kept circling round her head. Engaged. Engaged Engaged. _Engaged_. Why had her father never told her? That she once had been destined to marry their greatest enemy’s son.

“You must be wondering why I’ve brought you here,” he said when she remained mute. Her eyes flicked back to his, of course she was. He took two more bites, savoring the food with thoughtful movements of his jaw, and she was forced to wait. She ground her teeth together once more. He knew. He _knew_ how much this was bothering her, how overwhelmed she was and he was _enjoying_ it. But he was Galra, even if he dressed nicely and had table manners her governesses would droll over. 

Finally he wiped his mouth and continued, “I need your help.”

“My help,” she repeated. Of all the things she had thought he might say, she never could have guessed this.

He nodded severely. “Yes. In ending the war.”

Her heart pounded so loud, she could feel it echoing through her head. The doors banged open, the stern general entering the room with a controlled, but quick step. Lotor’s eyes flashed when he saw her, “We were not to be disturbed,” he said, his voice tight.  
She nodded, as if apologizing, “Haggar is making her descent.”

Something like panic flitted across his eyes, and he pushed back his chair and stood up. “Take her to her room, quickly Acxa.” He placed the dish covers back over the dishes and barked, “Narti, Ezor, Zethrid.” In moments two more women joined them in the room, one holding a strange looking cat.

“Narti, keep watch. I want to know as soon as she leaves her ship. Zethrid, take care of our dishes, get new ones. Ezor, delete the ship’s logs,” Lotor said as the stern general, whom he had called “Acxa” grabbed Allura by her arm and began dragging her out of the room. “We’ll talk later,” Lotor promised, turning back to Allura before Ezor shut the doors. Acxa nearly dragged Allura down the hallways, she was walking so quickly back the way they had come.

Lotor’s voice came over her com, “She’s here. I need everyone in the dining room. Acxa, escort her to me.” Acxa shoved Allura into her room and shut the door behind her, leaving Allura staring at the door, wondering what had just happened.

A few ticks went by, and hesitantly she tried the door. Grinning at her luck, she swung it open and poked her head out. The hallway was empty. She silently padded the way Acxa had led her, toward the dining area. If she could just get close enough, with the arrival of this _Haggar_ , maybe Lotor and his generals would be distracted long enough for her to steal his ship. 

She found the double doors, blessedly closed, and grinned at the sight of the ship in the docking bay, now joined by a much larger ship. Through the door she heard Lotor ask, “To what do we owe this visit?”

Allura paused, her eyes flicking to the ship. She should leave. Now. But the thought of being able to bring some intel back, intel that the Paladins greatly needed, was just too good to pass up. And something was off, she was missing something. She pressed her face up against the door, one eye able to see through the crack and into the room. Lotor sat at the table, all cool, unruffled elegance, the witch sitting across from him, her lackeys lined up against the wall behind her. Haggar. So that was the witch’s name.

“I…I needed to come see you,” the witch said. When Allura had battled her, she mostly had been hooded, but in the light of the dining room, her hood drawn back, Allura was able to clearly make out the Altean markings. She hadn’t imagined it—the woman was Altean. But why? Why would she be working for the Galra empire? The woman’s face was relaxed, the light in her eyes still crazed, but worlds more clear than when Allura had met her. “I _remember_ ,” Haggar whispered. “My little boy, I remember.” 

Allura slapped a hand over her mouth, horrified. She was his mother. Whether Lotor was surprised or not was not clear on his face. “And?” he asked, bored.

She shook her head, as if to shake his emotionless tone from her, “I needed to come see you.”

He nodded slowly, “This isn’t the first time you know.” 

She frowned, pushing her hair back from her face,” First time?”

“That you’ve remembered,” he clarified. “Acxa?”

“This is the thirty-fifth time,” Acxa provided from her place against the wall behind Lotor.

“What?” the witch whispered.

“Thirty-five times,” Lotor said patiently, “You’ve forgotten that you had a son and then remembered that you did thirty-five times. And you will undoubtedly forget again.” The witch opened and closed her mouth unsure how to respond. Lotor smiled grimly, having firmly unbalanced her. “So what do you want?”

She shook her head, as if to clear it, “I’m your mother. I just wanted to see how you were.”

He nodded, “I’m fine _mother_. I’m ruling in my father’s stead, focusing on revenging his attack by making moves to destroy Voltron.”

“Voltron,” his mother repeated, her tone hungry. “Voltron.” She nodded, her eyes glazing over slightly, “We need Voltron.” Her eyes snapped back to him, “Lord Zarkon is awake. He no longer needs you to watch over his throne.” She stood, staring at the table as if wondering why she had bothered to sit at all.

Lotor bowed his head, rising as well. “As he wishes.” A cat meowed and Allura spun around. That general’s creepy cat was staring at her, its tail swishing from side to side, its eyes more intelligent than they should be. Her heart crept up into her throat, and she knew she had lost her chance to run. She took off down the hallway, back the way she had come, rounding the corner just in time for the double doors to open.

“You will remain here,” the witch was saying, “I will return to Lord Zarkon’s main fleet to continue my studies.” Allura peeked around the corner, catching a glimpse of the cruel, cold witch, so different than the one who had been there moments ago. Acxa filled out of the dining room, leading the witch’s host of mages and Allura ducked around the corner again, slinking slowly back to the relative safety of her room and shutting the door firmly behind her.


	4. The Man with a Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many many apologies to all those who have been waiting for this chapter. I watched the fourth season again and still am wildly disappointed. It killed my roll on this story, but I'm trying to get it back in place because I'm Lotor trash. I've been reading a lot of fics and they have inspired me to keep this one going (so thank you to all those amazing writers!). If I let you all down and don't post for a while bugging me on Tumblr (I'm cnsgn2oblvn) always is helpful. Send me a few low key hints--like Lotor/Allura art :) And as always leaving me a comment is wonderful--I live for those <3 Thank you to everyone who writes me such sweet messages.
> 
> Huge thank you to kttriangle (midnight4568) and salehs_txt for such lovely comments. Both of you rekindled my desire to write this story. This chapter is for you!!
> 
> In other news, I’ve just hired an editor for one of my original works and I’m getting married in 30 days, so it may be a few months before I update with another chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy this next chapter!

Allura punched the bed, its mattress springing back to easily for it to be therapeutic. _So. Stupid._ She had completely missed her chance. She had the perfect opening and had let it pass. She picked a book up off the night stand and threw it across the room. _So._ A glass figurine followed. _Stupid._ It shattered on the wall across from her and she stood staring at it, her chest heaving. 

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't ruin the room," a voice drawled from the doorway.

Allura whirled around, her eyes narrowing as she took in Lotor leaning against the door frame. The arrogant ass. "Why am I here?" she asked, ignoring his directive.

She expected him to laugh at her, but instead he sighed, pushing off from his position against the frame. "I…I don’t suppose you’ve noticed we’re all misfits here?” He shut the door, his skin suddenly paling to a shade not unlike her own. Even though she had seen him with his mother, the traitorous witch, it hadn’t completely registered that he was half Altean. But looking at him now… She narrowed her eyes. Which was the real Lotor? 

“My mother was Altean,” he started, but she cut him off.

“I’m well aware of your mother.”

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Yes. I heard you held your own against her. I was quite surprised.” She had been as well, but she would rather bite her own tongue off than admit that. When she said nothing he continued, “My mother once was a great Altean scientist, I’m told. Truthfully, I don’t know that I’ve ever fully met the woman who was my mother—Honerva. The woman she has become, Haggar, is obsessed with Quintessence and her own immortality.”  
He paused, his eyes haunted. “When I was seven she began experimenting on me. I don’t remember most of my childhood and I don’t particularly know what she did to me.” He shrugged, “Whatever she did seems to have worked; I’ve lived for far longer than I was meant to. But clearly it didn’t work the way she intended. She sent me away to live amongst a tribe of half-breeds.” Allura filed this fact away for later. There were more of them…and if they were like Lotor’s entourage, the rest of the half-breeds were likely just as dangerous.

“I’m told that when I lived among them I was positively animalistic.” He smiled, his teeth coming to sharp points on either side of his cocky grin. “But gradually I calmed, and in a few years I became…normal.” His eyes narrowed. “What my mother wants more than anything is Voltron, and my father has taken this galaxy as his own in order to appease her. They cannot be allowed to have access to Voltron. But…” He moved closer to her, staring down at her. “I think Voltron may hold the key to their salvation.”  
She scoffed, the noise echoing through the small room. He raised his hands. “I know you don’t want to trust me, and I perfectly understand. But hear me out.” He pulled a device from his belt and set it on the bed, activating it so the room was lit up with blue-purple lights. “The meteor that Voltron was crafted from came from…Elsewhere.” The lights reconstructed themselves in the image of Voltron and her heart tugged with longing for her team. 

“The Quintessence my mother experimented with also came from Elsewhere.” A swirl of sentient purple haze joined Voltron. He pointed at the swirling mass. “We don’t know what Quintessence is. Even with all the years my mother spent researching and testing with it, we still know so little about what it is.” His eyes darkened, “What its intentions are.”

“Keith once saw Haggar’s mages making Quintessence,” she provided, shivering at the thought of the stuff’s sentience. 

He nodded eagerly. “Yes, quite interesting, don’t you think?”

Allura frowned. “How so?”

“She takes pure Quintessence from our world and turns it into the tainted version with her own powers. It’s replicating itself. Don’t you see?” Allura’s heart stumbled in her chest. Oh _gods_. 

“To what purpose?” she whispered.

Lotor shook his head, his eyes frustrated. “I don’t know.” The device added a third picture, the teludav wormhole generator Slav had created and Lotor had stolen. “I’ve been doing some experimenting of my own. The Teludav that your team built, when I added the corrupted Quintessence to its construction, opens a portal to Elsewhere.” Her eyes widened, horrified. “It’s a controlled doorway, able to be switched on and off. And it means we can enter and exit on our own terms.” The device showed the teludav powering up and allowing a ship to pass through. “As you know, I now have my own ship that can make the journey without being ripped apart by whatever is inside Elsewhere. I want to go through the portal and find out more about this Quintessence and Elsewhere. I want a way to purge it from our world and my parents.”

He cleared his throat. “I’ve been working on this for a long time, but recently I realized that my plan won’t work unless I have your team behind me. I need someone on this side to turn the device on and off.” He frowned, “And the moment I activate the device Haggar will know. So I’ll need someone who can guard my back. And Voltron is the only one I can trust to do that.” Allura stared at the colored lights as they showed Lotor’s ship and Voltron working together. 

“And this is why you brought me here?” she asked quietly.

The device powered down and Lotor replaced it on his belt. “I know I haven’t made things easy for your team,” he started and she glowered at him. “I knew I would need to convince one of you and you seemed the obvious choice.”

“Why not Keith? He’s half Galra.”

“I didn’t choose you because you are Altean,” he hissed. But he composed himself, “I chose you because of our shared history. The humans may have acclimated into their roles as Paladins of Voltron, but you know better than any of them what is at stake here.”  
She eyed him in distrust, but then nodded. “I’ll convince them to help you.” His eyes lit up until she added, “Under one condition.” He nodded warily, motioning for her to continue. “I will be going with you through the portal. Just me.” 

He toyed with his lip. “I had thought to bring Acxa with me…”

“ _Just_ me.” Allura said once more, her forehead set in a stubborn crinkle.

Finally he nodded. “My generals will remain on the outside of the portal, helping Voltron with its defense.” 

She nodded. The plan was acceptable. “When do we start?”


End file.
